Improvement in mail-bags



c. LOWELL.

MAIL-BAG.

No.188,Z4=9.

Patented March 13, 1877.

o o o O o D #0 o o V Invezztvr:

N-PETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRKPHER SH NGTON D C UNITE STATES JUDSON O. LOWELL, OF JAOKSQN, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MAIL-BAGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 188,249, dated March 13, 1877; application filed February 28, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, J UDSON CLARK LOWELL, of the city of Jackson, county of Jackson, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Mail-Bags, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to improve the fastenings of mail-bags, and to facilitate the opening and closing of the same; and consists of a series of metallic plates of peculiar construction secured to a flexible strap, and adapted to engage with the eyes or staples which are attached to the mouth of the bag, as will be hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a flexible strap, B, to which are secured the metallic plates A, and the rear end of said strap is also provided with a suitable tag-holding device. Fig. 2 represents the strap, plates, and tag-holder applied to a section of the mail-bag K, and locked or closed ready for transportation.

A A are the plates, which'are provided with central projections or tongues at. These plates are constructed with slots D D at their edges, parallel with the tongues. The slots D D are designed as ways for guides or rivets c c, which are secured to the front flap which covers the mouth of the bag.

These guides may be of any suitable form but I prefer to make them in the form of a button or rivet, whose enlarged outer end prevents their being drawn through the slots. The fastening staples or eyes F are secured to the back portion of the bag, and adapted to pass through the transverse slots in the plates formed by the peculiar construction of the tongues A in the plates.

Instead of the slots at the edges of the plates, the tongues or projections may be .slotted, and in this instance a single stud or rivet, with enlarged head, is all that will be necessary, as shown at E, Fig.2. The bag may also be provided with side flanges or ways at the outer edges of the plates, as shown at Fig. 3, to prevent too much vertical play of said plates.

These flanges may be the entire width of the bag; but I prefer to make them of the same length of the plates, so as not to destroy the flexibility of the fastening and bag.

I have shown a tag-holder, P, applied to the end of the strap; but this fastener or holder will be made the subject of another application, as it is evident a holder of any other construction would operate equally as well in connection with my fastening device 5 or a simple plate of metal may be used, the only requisite being that the base-plate of the holder, or a plain plate of metal, be provided with a slot to receive the locking-staple.

To close the bag, the staples which are attached to the back portion thereof are passed through slots or grommets, and also through the slots in the metal v plates, which are attached to the flexible strap. By taking hold of the tag 'end of the strap the tongues or projections are made to engage with the fastening-staples, the longitudinal slots in the plates and studs or rivets serving to guide the tongues through the staples. A slotted tag-holder or end plate is then pressed down over the locking-staple, and secured in place by any suitable locking device. To open the bag the strap is drawn in the reverse direc tion.

By my invention I am enabled to provide a perfectly secure fastening for mail-bags-one that is easily operated, and without the objections that are usually made to metallic fastenings for mail-bags having tongues which engage with the staples, and such I do not claim, broadly; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A fastening for mail-bags, consisting of a series of metal plates secured to a flexible strap, said plates being provided with tongues and longitudinal slots, in combination with studs or projections secured to the bag, and

adapted to slide in said slots, and the staples F, substantially as and for the purpose speci- 2. A fastening for mail-bags, consisting of a series of metal plates secured to a flexible strap, said plates being provided with tongues and longitudinal slots, in combination with studs or projections secured to the bag, and adapted to slide in said slots, and the staples F and side flanges, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

- Witnesses:

M. GARDNER, A. Scorr. 

